The more important locker!

[Mr. Leary]

Ok. So I need on board air, and I would like to get a locker as well. I have already decided on ARB, and intend to eventually get both axles locked. My question to you all is (drum roll): Which one should I get first?

It may be a while before I can get the other one done. I have been able to get by fairly well thus far using the e-brake trick, but squirm a little every time I have to make up for with momentum what I lack in traction.

Fire away...

EDIT: I have an LSD in the rear. Front diff is open.

 

[I Leak Oil]

Oh boy, here we go!:lurk:

 

[tdesanto]

Mike,

You forgot to add that you already have an LSD in the rear. My vote is for the front. It's not ideal (ideal might be LSD in the front and locked in the rear), but if you can only afford one, having a locked front and LSD in the rear will get you a bit farther than an open front and locked rear.

 

[wanderer-rrorc]

almost always front first!!

I belong to WEROCK team 711...we have a fulltime locker in the front...and a selectable in the rear...NEVER do we need to unlock the front...but unlocking the rear helps us turn better...

my personal wheelin rig...front locked first...then rear...then winch...:sombrero:

 

[Gone2Baja]

I've had very good luck in the past with a rear locker and only one of my trucks had both front and rear locked while it was amazing I still normally just locked the rear.
My 'new' truck has rear LSD and it does quite well, but when it goes I'll get a ARB to replace it.

 

[michaels]

if you can move the lsd up front, do that and put a locker in the rear.

 

[Mr. Leary]

Mike,

You forgot to add that you already have an LSD in the rear. My vote is for the front. It's not ideal (ideal might be LSD in the front and locked in the rear), but if you can only afford one, having a locked front and LSD in the rear will get you a bit farther than an open front and locked rear.

Thanks Tony... I have added it to the OP.

 

[SOAZ]

I don't want to start a locker war. Here is my take.

I added ARB lockers to the front and rear of my 4runner. The last time I used the front locker was a while ago. My wheeling buddy and close friend Jon has the exact same set up. 4.88's and ARB's. We were just commenting last week about how we regret spending the coin on the front locker.

The gears were a great addition. The rear locker was too, but we rarely use the front.

KEEP in mind: These are IFS trucks. I love IFS, but many a front diff has been exploded because of a front locker. I know I won't hurt mine if I am thinking clearly. Just never turn, more than the faintest line adjustment, with the front locker engaged. I turn on the rear, start climbing and then if I start to slide engage the front. If I have to turn more than a couple degrees I disengage the front locker to be safe.
(The reason we say we both regret the front locker is that I've never used it and thought, I NEVER would have made that without it. We usually just think, I'm lazy as heck. That line choice was horrible. Oh well, lockers engaged. Then the guy with just rear lockers behind us takes his time, backs up once or twice and finds the perfect line. Oddly we tend to wheel with people with tacomas and 4runners most often)

Sorry if that convolutes your choice more. I hope it helped a bit.

Cheers!
:sombrero:

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I don't want to start a locker war. Here is my take.

I added ARB lockers to the front and rear of my 4runner. The last time I used the front locker was a while ago. My wheeling buddy and close friend Jon has the exact same set up. 4.88's and ARB's. We were just commenting last week about how we regret spending the coin on the front locker.

The gears were a great addition. The rear locker was too, but we rarely use the front.

KEEP in mind: These are IFS trucks. I love IFS, but many a front diff has been exploded because of a front locker. I know I won't hurt mine if I am thinking clearly. Just never turn, more than the faintest line adjustment, with the front locker engaged. I turn on the rear, start climbing and then if I start to slide engage the front. If I have to turn more than a couple degrees I disengage the front locker to be safe.
(The reason we say we both regret the front locker is that I've never used it and thought, I NEVER would have made that without it. We usually just think, I'm lazy as heck. That line choice was horrible. Oh well, lockers engaged. Then the guy with just rear lockers behind us takes his time, backs up once or twice and finds the perfect line. Oddly we tend to wheel with people with tacomas and 4runners most often)

Sorry if that convolutes your choice more. I hope it helped a bit.

Cheers!
:sombrero:

Agreed on the relative need for a front locker on a particular build rig. However just to be fair with a properly installed ARB in the front end of a Toyota IFS truck, diff problems are a thing of the past, instead that 'weak link' has moved to the CV shafts for most applications. For example in the 100 Series Land Cruiser the ARB is the best upgrade option for the weak-link 2 pinion front differential. However with that locker one now needs to pay attention to their CV axles and use it accordingly

 

[Stan the Man]

I don't want to start a locker war. Here is my take.

I added ARB lockers to the front and rear of my 4runner. The last time I used the front locker was a while ago. My wheeling buddy and close friend Jon has the exact same set up. 4.88's and ARB's. We were just commenting last week about how we regret spending the coin on the front locker.

The gears were a great addition. The rear locker was too, but we rarely use the front.

I rarely use my front locker as well, but I don't feel that it was a waste of money. When you need a front locker, and you have one... oh boy is it a great thing.

With that said, I'm e-locked front and rear and almost never use the front. I leave the rear off till I need it and find that 99.9% of the time a locker rear is enough to get me through without struggle. I say lock the rear first because a locker in the front puts a whole lot of strain on the steering and joints when you're flexed out in a rut, trying to turn. It just doesn't work like that.

 

[Nullifier]

I'm arb front and rear. Rear diff is what you should do. There is no comparison between an lsd and locker. Personally I would not want to rely on my weaker front axle to bail me out because I had an lsd rear.

No offense to wanderer-rrorc but remember expo rigs are not doing front digs at rock crawling events. With IFS, your cv's will break. I rely more on my rear locker when on trails. The front gets used on occasional climbs and mud. but other then a few occassions it does not get used. If I had it to do over I would not have put an ARB in the front. I would have been happier with getting a fridge sooner to be honest. Or to me honest if you do not have a winch get that instead of the front ARB. Lockers get you into trouble, winches get you out. So having one of each makes for a more well balanced rig.

 

[robert]

Put me down for rear locker and a winch too. I've used my winch a lot more than I ever would have used a front locker- I can use it to extricate myself or others when needed, but it's been used more for performing various chores around the property where I hunt.

If you're into rock crawling then that's a totally different story and I'd go for the lockers. JMHO

 

[alexrex20]

definitely rear locker first, especially on an IFS truck!

i'm locked front/rear on my nissan pathfinder, and as others have mentioned, it's not often that i need the front locker. i can wheel with the rear locked and feel perfectly safe knowing i'm not going to grenade anything. but on the front, the last thing i want is a trail fix for one or both CV axles!

you also have to wonder why not a single truck is available from the factory with a front-only locker. dodge, GM, ford, nissan, toyota, etc. all offer rear-only lockers. indeed, the only front locked trucks are only available with front/rear locked axles.

lock the rear, enjoy your truck's newfound capabilities, and then decide if you still need that front locker. that's ~$900 you could spend on a nice winch.

 

[Stan the Man]

you also have to wonder why not a single truck is available from the factory with a front-only locker. dodge, GM, ford, nissan, toyota, etc. all offer rear-only lockers. indeed, the only front locked trucks are only available with front/rear locked axles.

lock the rear, enjoy your truck's newfound capabilities, and then decide if you still need that front locker. that's ~$900 you could spend on a nice winch.

Good point. Even the ones that come with a front locker have to have the rear locker engaged before the front can be engaged; so their on at the same time.

 

[alexrex20]

Good point. Even the ones that come with a front locker have to have the rear locker engaged before the front can be engaged; so their on at the same time.

yup. if you use ARB's compressor for the lockers, the wiring also requires the rear locker engaged to enable the front locker. they don't allow front-lock only. food for thought...